Music sheet turner



Sept. 3, 1935. 3 w FRANZ 2,012,992

MUSIC SHEET TURNER Filed May 26, 1935 attorney Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSIC SHEET TURNER Bruno W. Franz, Philadelphia, Pa. Application May 26, 1933, Serial No. 672,978

My invention 6 Claims.

is a music-leaf turner comprising a multiplicity of pivoted arms forming leafsupporting and turning levers biased toward one position and having their pivoted ends between the right and left hand sid base or stand, and latching one side of the base and es of a leaf-backing means positioned at holding the levers against the action of the biasing means but permitting .controlled release of the levers and their movement over to the other side. prevent the The latching means accidental release of the levers.

'fectively turned. Thin employed for mounting and standard clips may be removing the leaves,

and a relatively great number of leaves may be handled. A remote-control device is provided for releasing the latching means to permit movement of the levers one by one.

The leaf-supporting levers are preferably constructed of thin sheet metal compacted in a stack of laminated form and twisted, while at the twist. This structure insure a perfect fit and method of construction and strength to the levers group, and provides levers suitable size and effective well as compactness. A piv be made of thin sheet-metal stacked, to

lends great rigidity severally and as a having portions of shape for latching, as

0t support may also disposed in flat-side relation to the pivot portions of the outer levers of the nested group. The pivot portions of the levers are recessed or countersunk to receive lever-turning springs,

and the surfaces of adiacent levers are spaced by anti-friction devices.

The anti-friction devices balls inserted in sockets in ered by the opposite side of pivot portion or by one of The springs and bearings are preferably consist of each lever and covthe next adjacent the pivot supports. thus hidden from view and undue bulk and an excess number of separate parts are avoided.

The transverse ends of the levers are progressively stepped to facilitate turning the levers the latched position.

The latching mechanism side of the leaf-backing base her which has upper to receive the levers from the unlatched to at the right-hand has a movable memand lower elements adapted between them. The upper element comprises a movable actuator arm for operating the lever or levers behind the first or forward lever and a stationary guard arm preventing jarring release of the forward lever. The lower element comprises relatively movable latch dog and shoulder arms offset in the direction of arm swing away from the base. The latch dog and shoulder are relatively movably supported on the arms thereof and spring biased to normal latching or relaxed position; the dog and its arm being therefore movable relatively and in concert, as are also the shoulder and its arm. This structure reduces wear and renders the reception and release of the leaves by the latch a smooth, quiet operation.

The levers having a limited movement along the pivot axes thereof at the position opposite the latch, this movement is utilized in the releasing action. Wi-th the levers stacked in the latch, the first or forward lever is held under the guard behind the latch shoulder; the other levers being held by the first lever. To release the first lever, the actuator and the shoulder are simultaneously depressed, which action moves all of the levers, except the first, to position behind the dog and moves the shoulder from in front of the first lever which is thereby released. Release of the actuator then causes it to rise and the remaining levers to rise from behind the dog and to move forwardly to position behind the shoulder and under the guard; the above being the cycle of latching release which is repeated for the successive levers.

when released, each lever is moved on its antifriction bearings by the spring at the pivot end. to move from right to left on the stand where it is received between the arms of a support which, similar to the latch, has upper and lower elements or arms projecting forwardly from the base; these arms preferably being resilient and flaring, or otherwise adapted to absorb the shock of impact of the levers, and the support being preferably provided with a cushion element between the free ends adjacent to the back, also for absorbing the shock. This arrangement ensures quiet operation and supports the levers adjacent to their outer ends whereby to preclude misalignment and fatigue of the levers and of the pivot bearing elements.

A bell-crank lever, preferably of thin sheetmetal and lying in closely adjacent parallel plane relation to the leaf-supporting back, is plvotally mounted behind the latch; the lever having an arm for moving the actuator and the dog, and an arm having an aperture for the reception of a collar in which is received the end of an actuating wire member secured thereto as by a set screw. A sheet-metal shield for the lever is provided in closely related parallel plane relation thereto.

The actuating wire extends from its collar on the bell-crank lever through a flexible tube, to a lever element of a remote-control device which further comprises a top button for actuating the lever and controlled by a spring, and a dome or housing enclosing the lever and the spring. Movement of the button against the spring moves the wire longitudinally in the flexible tube to actuate the bell-crank lever, and consequently the latch, as above set forth. This arrangement transmits the actuating force directly from the remote-control device to the latch, without imposing reactionary forces on the leaf-supporting stand tending to displace the latter.

The remote-control dome is provided with a base-resting anti-friction layer or pad whereby its position on a floor or the base is rendered reasonably secure against all but unusual displacing forces but whereby the dome may be readily moved about at the desire of an operator. Clips are provided for holding title pages of music sheets, thereby facilitating elfective operation of the device Without mounting these pages on the pivoted arms. A support for the flexible control tube comprises parts advantageously permitting one thereof to remain on the base or removal of both from the base in dismounting the tube.

The invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a front elevation of the leafsupporting and latch elements of the invention, as mounted on a stand or leaf-backing base, together with a section of a remote-control device therefor; Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective of parts of a latch constituting a part of the invention; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of parts of the latch and base, together with a latch operating lever at the rear of the base; Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the pivot end of one of a plurality of leaf-supporting levers constituting part of the invention, also showing a pintle, a spring and ball-bearings therefor; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a shock-absorbing guide and support, showing also portions of the leafsupporting levers positioned therein with offset ends after having been released from the latch; and Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations of opposite sides of the latch, showing the same to more nearly an actual scale and form thereof.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the device therein shown comprises, in general, a leaf-backing base or plate l, preferably of sheet aluminum, having angularly turned edges for strength and supporting loose papers thereon, and a closely adjacent parallel-plane sheet-metal rear shell 2 providing a space between. the base and the shell; leaf-carrying lever supports leaf-supporting levers 4, a latch 5 at the right-hand side of the base i, a combined shock-absorbing guide and support 6 for the levers 4 at the left-hand side of the base i, a remote-control device 1 and a flexible tube 8 connected between the latch 5 and the device '5.

The levers of sheet metal such as stainless steel, are each. provided, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, with enlarged substantially discoidal inner or pivot ends 8 which are each provided at one side, as by stamping 0r machining, with a central recess 9 and recesses surrounding the recess 9 for the reception of anti-friction or ball bearings i G a pintle H, for disposition in the support 3, see Fig. 1, having screw threaded stud ends, for the reception of retaining nuts, and an enlarged longitudinally slotted body having snug fit in openings through the lever ends 8 and being adapted to receive the inner ends of spiral springs I2 in the recesses The springs l2 which have their outer ends secured to the lever ends 8, as by extending radially through openings !3 therein, are adapted to turn the levers from right to left about the pintle H, as viewed in Fig. 1, when they are released by the latch 5. The springs l2 are confined between the upper and lower surfaces of the ends 8, and the bearings i6 project above the top surface of the ends 8 only sufficiently to bear against the lower surface of the next adjacent lever end 3 or the to portion of the support 3. This structure permits these ends to be grouped in a closely packed series or laminated stack; the portion of the supp t 3 at the ends of this series stack being also of sin sheet metal lying flat against top and bottom lever ends 8 of the series. This construction completely encloses the springs l2, thereby protecting them and permitting a comparatively great number of the levers to be employed in a compact, lightweight device of neat appearance.

From their planes normal to the plane of the base I at the pivot ends thereof, the levers extend, through an intermediate twist i l, to outer end portions l5, whereby the latter lie in upright planes; the larger horizontal inner ends, the twist and the upright-plane outer ends providing great cantilever strength for substantially a minimum of material and rendering the outer ends of desirable rectangular shape for cooperation with the latch 5, as will hereinafter appear.

In constructing the levers 4, they are initially made flat throughout, assembled in a stack, in flat-side register, and the stack, as a whole, twisted about its longitudinal axis to provide the twist I 4; the stack, in effecting this result, being gripped closely adjacent to opposite sides of the twist along the levers whereby the latter fit perfectly both at, and at opposite sides of the twist. It has been found impractical to form the levers individually with the twists and have them fit in the neat accurate nesting relation obtained by my method; this relation also rendering and maintaining the operation of the levers certain and precise. Along the levers, hook-like sheets i6, see Figs. 1 and 3, are also preferably of stainless steel and edge welded, as along lines H, to the bottom edges of the lovers; these books being confined within narrow limits of the upright planes of the levers and offset longitudinally along alternate levers. A group of the offset hooks is provided adjacent to the pivot ends and another group adjacent to the free ends of the levers; the hooks being bent to have constricted resilient entrance portions for the reception of standard paper clips E8 or other suitable elements of thin sheet character to securely and unobtrusively mount sheets of music on the levers.

As shown in Fig. 6, the levers are disposed in the support 6 to which they have been turned by the springs I2 after release by the latch 5. Flaring outer ends of resilient upper and lower arms is compensate for any slight centilever sag of the outer ends of the levers, damp the shock of impact and support the arms. This feature relieves the pivot ends and bearings of unnecessary weight and possible misalignment and injury from imposition of the weight over long periods of time when the device may not be in use. The support 6 may be further treated or constructed a absorb the shock of impact of the arms and to thereby conduce to quiet operation, as by the provision of a block 2i? of sponge rubber der 31 of the'pallet ashy apin 21,to the dog arm 25;

26 secured to a bracket por-- from the shoulder 31 to 22 being suflicient to accommodate as many of sheet construction lying or other materialr Also, in this position, the arms 4 have upright or transverse outer end edges 21 in progr sivelystepped relation, made by having the arms successively longer, whereby thearmsand the corresponding music-sheets or leaves supported thereby may conveniently be turned oneata time or in groups of any number.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4,? and 8, the latch 5, comprises. astationary member 22 of substantiaily c shape secured as by screws 23' with its closed end or basic to the base I and having an upper lever-guard arm 25 projecting-substantially normal to the base andcarrylng a pallet 26. The latter is pivoted,

upwardly by a sprin tion 23. of the dog arm to a position limited by a stop 361m the pallet engaging the dog arm. The verticalrlistance between the top edges of a shoul- 26 and the underside of the guard arm 24 being only sumciently greater than the upright width thestr'ap-lever arms to permit readypassage of the arms between the shoulder and the guard, and the distance front to back the rear of the member the ievers '4 as it is desired to employ in any one device, in this case six.

In normal latched position, the levers 4 are all disposed above the shoulder 31, with the first or forward lever on or over this shoulder and the remaining arms behind it. A member 32 similarly of c-shape but vertically reciprocably mounted on the base I, lies in side register with the stationary member 22 and has a lever-actuator arm 33 and a latch arm 34 having pivotally mounted thereon, as by a pin 35, a shouldered pallet 33, similar to the pallet 26, which is biased to the normal latching position shown by a spring 31 anchored to a bracket portion 36 of the member 32 and pressing upwardly under a lug 39 on the pallet whereby another lug 40 on the pallet engages the arm 34. The pallet 36 has a rear latching surface holding the forward lever, and the actuator arm 33 has an oflset surface substantially in the plane of the rear face of the shoulder 3| and of the front surface of the second lever 4. The outer ends of all of the latch arms 24, 25, 33 and 34, and of the pallets 23 and 33, are flared perpendicularly away from the arms to ensure easy admittance thereof. As shown more clearly in Fig. 8, the vertically reciprocable member 32, at one side of the member 22, is slidably interlocked with the member 22, as by a forked portion 4| which embraces 9. lug 42 on a plate 43 secured to the other side of the member 22, as by a locked screw 44, which extends through a vertical slot in the member 22 to the member 32. The plate 43 fits into an upright L-extension 45 on the member 32, as does also an upright rear portion 46 of the member 22. A leaf spring 46a is secured over the pallet 36 for cushioning the weight and damping the movement of the leafcarrying levers as they move into and from the latch, thus eliminating looseness and chatter, and rendering the device quiet in operation.

A bell-crank lever 41 is pivoted on a pin 43 that is mounted on the base I; this lever being of thin close to the back of the base and having an arm 46a extending through an opening in the extension 45. Another arm 49 of the lever is slightly thicker and provided with openings in one of which a collar 56 is disposed; a pull wire 52 extending through the arm 43 and the collar 50 to which it is secured, as by 24 and alower latch dog arm being biased spring 54 is secured between base I to oppose a set screw 53. "A the lever and a lug 55 on the the pull wire 32 and holds the latch member 32 in its upper position.

when the member32is moved downwardlyfrom the position illustrated in Fig. 3, the actuator arm 33 moves all of the levers 4, except the front lever, downwardly with it; this action being permitted by a slight inherent cantilever yield of the arms,

and the shoulder 33 moving in concert with the The wire 52 is disposed in the space enclosed by the shield 2 behind the base I and in the flexible tube 3, and extends to the remote-control device 1.

The device 1 preferably comprises a dome or body portion 51, as of stainless sheet steel, having inturned upper edges 59 about a top aperture in whicha button or pedal 59 is reciprocably mounted; this button further slidably supported in a lateral brace 6i and cooperating at its bottom end with a lever 62. The lever 62 is pivotally mounted on a pin 63 and biased to move the pedal upwardly by a spring 64 extending between the lever and the dome. The lever 62, similarly to the bell-crank 41, is provided with al collar 65 and a set screw securing the opposite end of the wire 52. Whenthe pedal 59 is depressed, the lever 62 pulls the wire 52 against the action of the springs 54 and 64 to actuate the bell-crank lever 41, and the latch 5, as above set forth. To accentuate the position of the dome 51 and prevent its displacement by slight and unintentional impacts, it is preferably provided with a bottom friction pad 66 which may be of roughened soft rubber or of other suitable nature.

Where the wire 52 is employed as a pull wire, as set forth, the latch parts, in normal latched position, assume the positions illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, in which the pallet 36 is depressed by the levers 4 as the latter enter the latch; the pallet 26, in this instance, acting like a fixed part of the arm 25. Where the wire 52 is employed as a push wire, which slightly changes the positions of the parts, the pallet 26 functions as does the pallet 36.

Spring-leaf clips 61, each secured at one end to the base I, are adapted to hold the title page of a music-leaf book whereby this page need not be attached to one of the turning levers 4. A support for the tube 6 at the rear of the base I, comprises a plate 68 removably secured to the base, as by screws, and a clip 69 removably secured to the plate 66, whereby in detaching the tube at this position, either the plate 63 may be removed to carry the clip 69 with it, or the clip 69 may be removed from the plate, and the plate allowed to remain on the base.

Having described my invention, I claim-- 1. A music-leaf turner comprising leaf-supporting levers and a latch including a dog embodying arm and pallet portions, and a spring biasing said arm and pallet portions to relative position in which they move simultaneously to release said levers from latched position, the pallet being movable relative to the arm against the achaving a shank 63' tion: of said spring to permit passage of said levers inwardly therebetween.

2. A music-leaf turner comprising a latch, and leaf-supporting levers having upright pivot axes and strap-like portions outwardly therealong yieldable at their ends and adapted to lie in fiat upright side relation, said latch including elements above and below said levers limiting and controlling said yielding movement for releasing said portions and preventing accidental release of any thereof.

3. A music-leaf turner comprising a base, leafsupporting levers mounted on said base for pivotal movement between opposite leaf positions, and a latch and a support spaced from the pivot position of said levers for respectively receiving the levers in opposite extreme positions of the levers, the latch and said support each ineluding a pair of spaced arms between which the levers are received, one arm of each pair having a portion yieldable laterally to the pivot movement of the levers.

4. A music-leaf turner comprising leaf-supporting levers for pivotal mounting about an upright axis between the opposite leaf sides of an upright leaf-backing base, said levers having upright-plane substantially sheet strap outer portions yieldable at their ends, and a device for each of said sides each having a pair or arms for receiving therebetween said outer portions, one of said devices constituting a latch for holding and releasing said outer portions.

5. A music-leaf turner for a leaf-backing base, comprising, a, pintle fixed to the base, a closelypacked stack of leaf-turning sheet-metal lever arms recessed pivot-end portions surrounding said pintle for position in planes substantially normal to said base and portions outwardly from said pivot-end portions for broadside relation to said base, said broadside portions having progressively offset transverse outer end edges antifrlction bearings between said recessed ends, and spiral springs enclosed by said recessed ends and connected between the lever arms and the pintle.

6. A music-leaf turner comprising a base, a pintle, means fixing the pintle to said base including a sheet-like portion normal to the axis thereof, leaf-supporting levers having sheet-like pivot ends surrounding said pintle parallel to said sheet-like portion, said ends each being recessed at one side, and anti-friction bearings in said recessed ends cooperating with the opposite side of the next adjacent lever end and said sheet-like portion.

BRUNO W. FRANZ. 

